Download the app
educalingo
diminutive
" The Awa are a distinctive-looking, diminutive forest people, smaller than any of the dozen other Amazon tribespeople I have met. Reduced size is adaptive in a rain forest. You can move around more easily and unobtrusively. Not only humans but other species are smaller in rain forests."
Alex Shoumatoff

Meaning of "diminutive" in the English dictionary

DICTIONARY

PRONUNCIATION OF DIMINUTIVE

dɪˈmɪnjʊtɪv


GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF DIMINUTIVE

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
Diminutive can act as a noun and an adjective.
A noun is a type of word the meaning of which determines reality. Nouns provide the names for all things: people, objects, sensations, feelings, etc.

The adjective is the word that accompanies the noun to determine or qualify it.

WHAT DOES DIMINUTIVE MEAN IN ENGLISH?

Diminutive

In language structure, a diminutive, or diminutive form, is a formation of a word used to convey a slight degree of the root meaning, smallness of the object or quality named, encapsulation, intimacy, or endearment. It is the opposite of an augmentative. While many languages apply the grammatical diminutive to nouns, a few also use it for adjectives and even other parts of speech. Diminutives are often used for the purpose of expressing affection. In many languages, the meaning of diminution can be translated "tiny" or "wee", and diminutives are used frequently when speaking to small children; adult people sometimes use diminutives when they express extreme tenderness and intimacy by behaving and talking like children. In some languages, diminutives are formed in a regular way by adding affixes to nouns and proper names; in English the alteration of meaning is often conveyed through clipping, either alone or combined with an affix. English diminutives tend to be shorter and more colloquial than the basic form of the word; diminutives formed by adding affixes in other languages are often longer and not necessarily colloquial.

Definition of diminutive in the English dictionary

The first definition of diminutive in the dictionary is very small; tiny. Other definition of diminutive is denoting an affix added to a word to convey the meaning small or unimportant or to express affection, as for example the suffix -ette in French. Diminutive is also denoting a word formed by the addition of a diminutive affix.

WORDS THAT RHYME WITH DIMINUTIVE

attributive · automotive · consecutive · contributive · distributive · electromotive · emotive · evolutive · executive · flexecutive · inconsecutive · locomotive · motive · nonconsecutive · nonexecutive · redistributive · resolutive · retributive · solutive · votive

WORDS THAT BEGIN LIKE DIMINUTIVE

dimidiation · diminish · diminishable · diminished · diminished responsibility · diminished seventh · diminished seventh chord · diminishing · diminishing returns · diminishingly · diminishment · diminuendo · diminution · diminutival · diminutively · diminutiveness · dimissory · dimities · Dimitrovo · dimity

WORDS THAT END LIKE DIMINUTIVE

absolutive · account executive · active · alternative · chief executive · competitive · constitutive · dilutive · dissolutive · Health and Safety Executive · institutive · junior executive · Nuclear Industry Radioactive Waste Executive · obvolutive · persecutive · pollutive · restitutive · sales executive · senior executive · substitutive

Synonyms and antonyms of diminutive in the English dictionary of synonyms

SYNONYMS

SYNONYMS OF «DIMINUTIVE»

The following words have a similar or identical meaning as «diminutive» and belong to the same grammatical category.

Translation of «diminutive» into 25 languages

TRANSLATOR

TRANSLATION OF DIMINUTIVE

Find out the translation of diminutive to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.

The translations of diminutive from English to other languages presented in this section have been obtained through automatic statistical translation; where the essential translation unit is the word «diminutive» in English.
zh

Translator English - Chinese

微小的
1,325 millions of speakers
es

Translator English - Spanish

diminuto
570 millions of speakers
en

English

diminutive
510 millions of speakers
hi

Translator English - Hindi

छोटा
380 millions of speakers
ar

Translator English - Arabic

ضآلة
280 millions of speakers
ru

Translator English - Russian

уменьшительное
278 millions of speakers
pt

Translator English - Portuguese

diminuto
270 millions of speakers
bn

Translator English - Bengali

সঙ্কুচিত
260 millions of speakers
fr

Translator English - French

diminutive
220 millions of speakers
ms

Translator English - Malay

Kecil
190 millions of speakers
de

Translator English - German

winzig
180 millions of speakers
ja

Translator English - Japanese

小さい
130 millions of speakers
ko

Translator English - Korean

자그마한
85 millions of speakers
jv

Translator English - Javanese

Diminutive
85 millions of speakers
vi

Translator English - Vietnamese

rất nhỏ
80 millions of speakers
ta

Translator English - Tamil

மிகக்குறுகியதாக
75 millions of speakers
mr

Translator English - Marathi

कमी
75 millions of speakers
tr

Translator English - Turkish

minik
70 millions of speakers
it

Translator English - Italian

minuto
65 millions of speakers
pl

Translator English - Polish

zdrobnienie
50 millions of speakers
uk

Translator English - Ukrainian

зменшувальне
40 millions of speakers
ro

Translator English - Romanian

diminutiv
30 millions of speakers
el

Translator English - Greek

υποκοριστικό
15 millions of speakers
af

Translator English - Afrikaans

klein
14 millions of speakers
sv

Translator English - Swedish

diminutiv
10 millions of speakers
no

Translator English - Norwegian

diminutiv
5 millions of speakers

Trends of use of diminutive

TRENDS

TENDENCIES OF USE OF THE TERM «DIMINUTIVE»

Principal search tendencies and common uses of diminutive
List of principal searches undertaken by users to access our English online dictionary and most widely used expressions with the word «diminutive».

Examples of use in the English literature, quotes and news about diminutive

EXAMPLES

2 QUOTES WITH «DIMINUTIVE»

Famous quotes and sentences with the word diminutive.
1
Misha Glenny
My father, a Russian translator, wanted to distinguish me by calling me Misha, the Russian diminutive of his name, Michael. My name and work as a writer specialising in the Balkans has created a myth that I have Slavic connections, but actually I am British.
2
Alex Shoumatoff
The Awa are a distinctive-looking, diminutive forest people, smaller than any of the dozen other Amazon tribespeople I have met. Reduced size is adaptive in a rain forest. You can move around more easily and unobtrusively. Not only humans but other species are smaller in rain forests.

10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «DIMINUTIVE»

Discover the use of diminutive in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to diminutive and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.
1
Diminutive Revolutions
Daniel Bouchard is the captain of them all. Here is a poet who has found his place in the topography of a sprawling world. His navigations are a pleasure to behold -- Lisa Jarnot. Daniel Bouchard's book is wonderful.
Daniel Bouchard, 2000
2
The Most Diminutive of Birds
Diminutive. of. Birds. The Most Dim inutive of Birds—set in London and Yorkshire, England, is a dark psychological thriller which traces one woman's descent into hell and back again. Three families are forever affected when their lives ...
Carmen Lynne, 2000
3
The Acquisition of Diminutives: A Cross-linguistic Perspective
The results indicated that participants in the diminutive training group learned gender agreement faster than participants in the non-diminutive training group ( see figure 3). When comparing performance just on the 20 transparently ...
Ineta Savickien?, Wolfgang U. Dressler, 2007
4
Formation Expressive Use Dimtves
In other cases, and this occurs much more frequently in Russian, the diminutive suffixes have the function of form-derivation, i.e. words with the diminutive suffix are derived forms of the basic word, to the meaning of which word they add ...
B. V. Bratus, 1969
5
"Small" Talk: The Form and Function of the Diminutive Suffix ...
The phonological, semantic, and morphosyntactic properties of the particle, nominal, and verbal diminutive in NEC are described.
Amanda Leigh Cunningham, 2008
6
How to Learn Russian. A Manual for Students of Russian: ...
All nouns are not susceptible of both diminutive forms, and there are even some which take only the secondary diminutive, as : IUatdKl, a handkerchief ; .IiiiiTa, a ribbon ; 3Dli3,tii, a star ; diminutive, njaToieirk diminutive, JeUTO'iKa. diminutive,  ...
Henry Riola, 1878
7
Methodology in Transition
pears to be a second-diminutive form; thus, ku, tata, fojg_l —+ kiala, tatala, fejgala. Significantly, such forms function in their meaning as first-degree diminutives, rather than as second-degree diminutives. This probably represents, to some ...
Mouton De Gruyter, 1995
8
A Manual of English Gujarati Dictionary
-alter, diminutive, as poetaster. -ble, same as able. -ble, pie, fold, as double, quadruple. -ele,-eule, diminutive, as particle, animalcule. -dorn, power, as Kingdom; state, as freedom. -ее, agent, as payee. -4er,-ier, one who, as volunteer , cashier.
N. R. Ranina, 2003
9
The Maltese: Diminutive Aristocrat
The Maltese's size makes it the perfect, portable companion, and it has great crowd appeal as a show dog. A perennially popular breed, Maltese are gentle, playful, inquisitive and loving.
Vicki Abbott, 2000
10
Word-formation and Creolisation: The Case of Early Sranan
There are several similarities between the diminutive markers in Early Sranan and in the Kwa languages. First, in both Early Sranan and the Kwa languages, the diminutive markers can be used to refer to small and to young versions of the  ...
Maria Braun, 2009

10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «DIMINUTIVE»

Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term diminutive is used in the context of the following news items.
1
Diminutive dunker pays tribute to Spud Webb - CBSSports.com
... Today · CBK Live · College Basketball on CBS · Boomer & Carton. Diminutive dunker pays tribute to Spud Webb. Diminutive dunker pays tribute to Spud Webb. «CBSSports.com, Jul 15»
2
Hazlewood makes strong start to Ashes career - ABC
The diminutive Yorkshireman went on to punish Australia with a crucial innings of 134. "It was obviously a pretty decent (ball) from Starcy, and ... «ABC Online, Jul 15»
3
Ariana Grande licks donut, issues apology: Should she go to jail …
... licks donut, issues apology: Should she go to jail? COMPARI.jpg. Diminutive pop diva Ariana Grande licked a doughnut in a California shop. «SILive.com, Jul 15»
4
Kenny Jackett: Plenty of work to do « Express & Star
"Connor Ronan's got a lot of ball playing ability, you can see that, despite a diminutive stature," Jackett said. "He's deceptively strong and can ... «expressandstar.com, Jul 15»
5
Movie review: 'Minions' | The Star Telegram The Star Telegram
Minions is the latest attempt to capitalize on the popularity of the diminutive deviled-egg henchmen brought to life in the “Despicable Me” films. «Fort Worth Star Telegram, Jul 15»
6
Luciano Vietto a savvy singing for Atletico Madrid - ESPN FC
Los Rojiblancos have tied the diminutive forward to a six-year deal, meaning he should -- in theory at least -- enjoy his best years at the Vicente ... «ESPN FC, Jul 15»
7
Asif Kapadia Uncorks a Tragic, Unsettling Look at Amy Winehouse …
Scores of interviews used as narrative voiceovers join miles of archival footage as the diminutive Jewish girl from Southgate who started her ... «New York Observer, Jul 15»
8
Kylie Minogue slips into THREE different risque ensembles at …
The plunging number, created by Jean Paul Gaultier, boasted heavy fringed detail and various cut-out accents which highlighted the diminutive ... «Daily Mail, Jul 15»
9
Lawrie Homers Off Betances In 10th, A's Beat Yankees 4-3 « CBS …
One day after he was selected to his first All-Star team, the diminutive right-hander gave up two runs in the first but settled in after that. «CBS Local, Jul 15»
10
Birmingham City line up swoop for Arsenal's new Jack Wilshere …
Crowley has been likened to Jack Wilshere for his creavity, diminutive stature and passing. The Brimingham Mail say Blues manager Gary ... «Express.co.uk, Jul 15»
REFERENCE
« EDUCALINGO. Diminutive [online]. Available <https://educalingo.com/en/dic-en/diminutive>. May 2024 ».
Download the educalingo app
EN